How safe is exercise if I have mitral valve and tricuspid valve leakage?

For three of the four cardiac valves—the mitral, tricuspid, and pulmonic valves—a little bit of leakage is completely normal. In fact, for the mitral and tricuspid valves, the backflow of blood occurs well before the valve closes. Modern echocardiography equipment is so sensitive that virtually everyone's echocardiogram shows some leakage of the mitral and tricuspid valves, provided the images are technically reasonable. So, if your doctor tells you that you have a little mitral and tricuspid valve regurgitation, but you don't need to worry about it, don't let it interfere with your exercise program.

The aortic valve, in contrast, doesn't normally leak—not even a little. It acts like a door between the heart and the main artery of the body (the aorta). Nature probably sculpted this valve to close early, before blood can rush back toward the heart, as a way to direct blood into the coronary arteries. These arteries, which nourish the heart muscle, originate just beyond the aortic valve. If the valve closes early, more blood pressure is available to fill the needy coronary arteries.

When some valve diseases get severe, exercise may be a problem, particularly for aortic valve disease. But for mild or "normal" valve leakiness, there is no reason to limit your exercise.

Your valves will need to be repaired if you develop symptoms or the size or shape of your heart changes. Work closely with your doctor to determine the best time to do this.